King of Kings Lal Bagh Chya Raja

King of Kings Lal Bagh Chya Raja
Originally uploaded by flickr photographerno1

The most famous Ganesha on the firmament of Mumbai, is the one and only one the King Of King Lal Bagh Chya Raja, see him once in your life time, he is Mumbai, sans religiosity, he belongs to everyone, I as a Muslim, sometimes wonder, that the magnetic pull he has on me, he gives me wings to hold on to my paper soul, and he brings me to his domain bare feet , I had no camera prior to this I was shooting negatives on F100,and my technician returned the Nikon D70 as he could not find any buyer for it, I have not yet paid the service charges, but the Lord wanted me to shoot him, and so I first shot the GSB Seva Mandal Ganesha at Kings Circle, pictures I posted directly from my camera no photoshopping, but with Lal Bagh Chya Raja I am not taking chances , I reached there this morning in my Sadhu attire of the Shia Pandit, and it seemed the Lord was waiting for me, I just floated in no questions, nothing though I carried my Bandra Samachar Press card, and the people waiting for his darshan have been in the queque since last evening, serpentine human trail to see the Lord of Lal Bag Chya Raja...What touches you is not just his spirtual grandeur but his humility, he seems to love eveyone , and his thoughts rend the air, Sarv Dharm Ek, all religions one...
I am an emotional person, very human, and as I write this I have tears in my eyes and this has nothing do with my faith, but the very idea that he is clay and yet emanates Godliness of peace love and harmomy.I firmly believe in this Hope and Hindutva..
On Visarjan day I shall follow him barefeet..and shoot him till part of his journey than walk barefeet all the way on foot till Girgaum Chowpatty...
This is photography, this is passion , this is poetry , this is music, this requires no skill just devotion , and the Ganeshas on the road guide you towards the tempestuous seas of human experience parting the waters of your mind till you become one fused forever in a calm and cosmic consciusness, this is the Path to Peace and Brotherhood for me..Yes I am as Hindu as I am Muslim as I am Human, Faith is the color of my soul...and I am proud that as an Indian I breathe air untarnished by bigotry or hate of Mankind..and I am fasting too so the feeling is two fold my closeness to Allah and my proximity to Ram.